Conventionally, G.8032 Ethernet Ring Protection is an Ethernet shared ring protection technology analogous to Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) rings. Of note, G.8032 is defined in ITU-T G.8032 Ethernet Ring Protection Switching (March 2010), ITU-T G.8032 Amendment 1 (June 2010), and ITU-T G.8032 Amendment 2 (February 2011), the contents of each is incorporated by reference herein. With SONET/SDH rings, timeslots are used as a data plane forwarding identifier, and with G.8032, Ethernet frame Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) Identifier (VID) and Destination Media Access Control Address (MAC DA) are used as the data plane identifier. As specified, the G.8032 protocol is applicable to bearer traffic that is based on the VID service space identification. Consequently, G.8032, as specified, can only be applied to IEEE 802.1Q Media Access Control (MAC) Bridges and Virtual Bridged Local Area Networks (2003, 2005, 2008, and 2011) (or amendment [IEEE 802.1ad Provider Bridges (2005), 802.1ah Provider Backbone Bridges (2008)]) bearer plane technologies. The contents of IEEE 802.1Q, 802.1ad, and 802.1ah are each incorporated by reference herein. Disadvantageously, G.8032 being only applicable to IEEE 802.1Q or amendments thereof is limiting application of protection switching to other bearer traffic technologies.